Court orders police to suspend enforcement of tinted glass permit policy

The federal high court in Delta state has ordered the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to suspend the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy.

The court on Friday asked the police authorities to respect judicial processes on the case pending further court proceedings.

The suit was filed by John Aikpokpo-Martins, a lawyer, against the NPF and the inspector-general of police.

The suit is seeking to challenge the legality of the enforcement of tinted glass permit policy by the police.

Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer, announced the court decision in a statement released via X.

The suit is different from the one filed by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at the federal high court in Abuja.

The policy, which was initially billed to take off on June 1 before being shifted to October 2, requires motorists to obtain annual permits for tinted glasses through a digital portal (possap.gov.ng).

Displeased with the policy, the NBA’s Section of Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) filed a public interest suit against the police to challenge the legality of the policy.

The legal body argued that the directive violates rights to dignity, privacy, freedom of movement, and property.

The NBA further questioned the legal foundation of the initiative, noting that the police appear to rely on the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act, a 1991 military decree, which it said may not satisfy the constitutional test of being “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society”.

Responding to the association, Benjamin Hundeyin, force spokesperson, said NBA’s position was misleading and “an attempt to cast aspersions on the image, integrity, and lawful operations of the force”.

Citing section 2(3a) of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 2004, Hundeyin said the IGP, or anyone authorised by him, is empowered to issue permits for the use of tinted glass, provided the applicant shows good cause either on health or security grounds.

Recently, some police commands and zones issued statements to remind the public that the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy would commence on October 2.

In a letter addressed to the IGP on October 1, the NBA faulted the decision to enforce the tinted glass permit policy despite a suit against it.